A normal user's look into the world of 3D Stereo Technologies

Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 3D camera is what is considered as the first actual alternative in the form of a portable digital camera of the very popular among 3D users Fujifilm Real 3D W1/W3 compact digital cameras is now available on the market and you can get it for $499 USD. The Lumix DMC-3D1 camera comes equipped with dual 12-megapixel sensors capable of capturing stereo 3D photos with a maximum resolution of 3264×2448 (8 Megapixels with 4:3 aspect) or 3264×1840 (6 Megapixels with 16:9 aspect ratio) as well as 3D video with Full HD 1920×1080 resolution (Side by Side with half horizontal resolution, 60i for the NTSC model and 50i for the PAL model). The camera also comes with 4x optical zoom, optical stabilization system, 3.5-inch touchscreen display that is unfortunately not autostereoscopic 3D capable, but there is a HDMI 1.4 output for direct connection to a 3D-capable display.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 3D camera’s interaxial distance should be very close to 3 centimeters or around 1.2 inches based on the officially announced camera size and the photos of the device, but the exact distance between the two lenses of the camera still hasn’t been officially announced. This is about half of the interaxial distance that the Fujifilm 3D cameras have, meaning that the Panasonic’s product should be more suitable for closer photography in 3D mode. The fact that the Lumix DMC-3D1 does not feature an autostereoscopic 3D display that can be used for direct previewing of the images and video you’ve shot in 3D mode is a serious drawback in the useability of the device in stereo 3D mode as well. If you were so eager to get one of these and try it out, you are welcome to confirm the exact interaxial distance as well as to share your feedback from the product and even some sample 3D photos and 3D videos you have recorded…

Back in September during the IFA trade show in Germany Panasonic has shown a prototype of an upcoming 3D-capable digital still camera and now they have officially announced the product that will be called Panasonic LUMIX DMC-3D1. The Lumix DMC-3D1 camera will come equipped with dual 12-megapixel sensors (1/2.3-type High Sensitivity Mos Sensors) capable of capturing stereo 3D photos with a maximum resolution of 3264×2448 (8 Megapixels with 4:3 aspect) or 3264×1840 (6 Megapixels with 16:9 aspect ratio) as well as 3D video with Full HD 1920×1080 resolution (Side by Side (apparently half horizontal resolution), 60i for the NTSC model and 50i for the PAL model). The camera also comes with 4x optical zoom, the company’s MEGA O.I.S. optical stabilization system, 3.5-inch touchscreen display, HDMI 1.4 (mini-HDMI) output for direct connection to a 3D-capable display, stereo microphone. So it seems that Fujifilm will finally have some serious competition for their W1/W3 3D digital still cameras and maybe it is about time for them to also have let’s say a new W5 model for examle with more up to date specs…

You can notice that there are very few buttons on the camera’s body, meaning that pretty much all the extra controls are made via the touchscreen display at the back of the camera, where the only physical button is a 2D/3D mode switch. On the top of the camera there are are some more physical buttons: the on/off camera switch, the shutter and zoom and a separate recording button for video capture. So the usability of the camera will be depending a lot on how good is the touchscreen implementation as well as the display of the device as you will be using it a lot. What Panasonic have missed to mention in all the information they have made available about the new Lumix DMC-3D1 3D digital still camera is the interaxial distance. Fortunately I can pretty much assume that it should be very close to 3 centimeters or around 1.2 inches based on the officially announced camera size and the photos of the device. As expected the interaxial distance will be more than twice less as compared to the 75 millimeter distance that the Fuji W3 camera has, meaning that the Panasonic will be better suited for shooting closer objects in 3D, but for more distant ones you will be getting “flatter” results. The new Panasonic Lumix 3D1 3D-capable digital still camera should be available in December 2011 with a recommended end user price of about $500 USD.